Perception of mental health services among Black Americans

ABSTRACT

As the Black American population becomes more diverse, it is important to extrapolate differences among individuals who have historically been grouped as Black or African American in the literature. This review systematically explores differences in the perceptions of mental health services among Black Americans of African-American, African, and Caribbean Black descent. Thirty studies were included in the analysis. The paucity of literature limited the authors’ ability to identify substantial themes for Africans and Caribbean Blacks. Stigma, discrimination, and racism mired the perceptions of mental health services for African Americans. The findings underscored the need for more research to be able to adequately identify and better understand important and nuanced differences in perceptions of mental health within the Black American population. Implications for how to better serve Black Americans through social work practice, intervention, and prevention are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• African Americans
• Africans
• Black Americans
• Caribbean Blacks
• discrimination
• mental health services
• perceptions
• racism
• social work
• stigma